By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog
Remember all of that baloney about an “obstructionist” GOP House, Save Jerseyans?
Well, we knew it was always B.S. given the number of GOP-initiated bills the former Senate Majority Leader let die on his doorstep, but President Obama spent the first hours of a Congress united under Republican control… offering an olive branch? Revisiting entitlement reform? Scheduling an all-day White House-hosted meeting with GOP leaders to search for common ground?
NAY! He issued three veto threats in 48 hours. America is about to see, once and for all, who’s the REAL obstacle to progress in this country. Hint: he can’t hide behind Harry Reid any longer.
U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R, NJ-07) zeroed in on the Keystone Pipeline veto threat on Friday after it passed his chamber 266-153, a wide margin including 28 Democrat YEA votes.
“As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee I have seen first-hand the benefits of building the Keystone XL project. Numerous studies from the President’s own U.S. State Department outline some of the benefits that would come with the project, including more than 42,000 direct and indirect jobs including 3,900 construction jobs, and an estimated $3.4 billion boost to the economy,” said Rep. Lance in a statement released on Friday shortly after he voted in favor of H.R. 3 (the “Keystone XL Pipeline Act”).
“And despite two thorough environmental analyses showing that the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would have a minimal impact on the environment, President Obama’s Administration continues to block this important American-made energy project.”
A tough indictment, to be sure, of a President whose only tangible accomplishment is a rapidly-imploding health care industry takeover. But Rep. Lance also released a video, via YouTube, with the aim of explaining to his constituents (and I suspect elements of his own party both inside and outside of Central Jersey) why the 114th Congress is already providing us with ample reason for long-term optimism:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK1975hjTT0
Full text below the fold:
Hello, I’m Congressman Leonard Lance.
This week members of the 114th Congress took the oath of office. Opening Day of a new Congress is a day of celebration, reflection and belief of a better future for America.
The new Congress rings in a renewed hope of optimism that the political parties in Washington are ready to work together to advance common-sense ideas that will make a difference in the lives of every-day Americans.
And we are off to a great start.
Just this week Congress has already passed bipartisan bills to approve the Keystone pipeline, restore the 40-hour workweek, and to help small businesses hire more of our veterans. And we voted to renew our federal terrorism risk insurance program that protects the businesses and services Americans rely on every day.
These are just the first of many jobs bills the House will be advancing as we continue our commitment to strengthening our economy.
By acting swiftly and in bipartisan fashion on these measures, the House has laid the groundwork for the Senate and the president to follow suit.
And it’s results that the American people want. They want their elected officials to end Washington’s dysfunction, work together and get things done.
We’ve seen bipartisan progress within a divided government before. President Reagan worked with Democratic leaders — including New Jersey’s own Senator Bill Bradley — to pass important reforms to our tax code and Social Security. A Republican Congress worked with President Clinton to pass welfare reform and a balanced budget.
The Republican majorities in the House and Senate can do the same with President Obama.
Ideas with strong bipartisan support — simplifying our tax code, reducing unnecessary red tape and regulations, balancing the budget and making education more affordable and accessible — provide us with a strong foundation for success.
Listening and making your priorities our priorities is what you can expect from this new Congress. If Congress and the President work together, 2015 will be a great year for our country.
I’m Congressman Leonard Lance. Thanks for watching.
So Congressman Lance….with your ‘renewed hope of optimism’… who did you vote for as Speaker of the House?
C’mon what about all the bi partisan bills that the Senate passed and Boehner refused to bring up for a vote! Should we in NJ care about Keystone XL… I don’t know, but who pays if there is a leak … I hope not we in NJ who pay a lot more to the Feds that what we get back? Who has talked about that?